The Washington critic., 1887-01-26
TOPICS OF THE DAY..

The really rich men In the Senate
don't attract attention for their wealth,
said moderately well of Senator to a
New York Tribune correspondent.
Most of them have been slow in getting
money, but they have good deal of
1t, though they don't make any show
of 1t. Hearst, who has just been
elected from California, fairly repre-
sents constituency of the suddenly
wealthy type. He is one of many men
out there who have amassed fortunes
with marvellous quickness. Hearst
will be sure to speak for himself when
he gets settled in the next Congress
Stewart, who comes back from Nevada
after ON absence of dozen years, is
now poor man, though he was re.
garded as very rich. He wouldn't
stay In Washington after he went out
of the Senate, but returned to Nevada
and the practice of law. l have always
thought good deal of Stewart for
going back to work instead of hanging
about Washington or trying to get Il
foreign appointment, as not few de-
feated Congressman do. Davis, who Is
to take McNIillan's place from Mime
sofa, has no money. He Is clever. If
not in fact brilliant, and he will make
bright speeches. Dawes, Hawley and
Cockrell, who have just been re. elected,
are neither poor nor rich men. They
have something besides their salary and
by good management keep In easy
circumstances. Sherman, Beck, Alli
son, Cameron, Chase, Edmunds, Hale,
Malone, Warner Miller, Morrill,, Plumb
Van Wyck and Eustis are all rich men.
Chace is Quaker, and of course Is
not worldly in his style of living, and
wouldn't be suspected of riches.
Plumb is not Quaker, but he Is eco
nomical and never spends much money.
Palmer and Payne can be classed with
the millionaires. Allison and Hale are
among the richest men. Hale got
fortune with his wife, but he has added
to It, Allison lives quietly and not ex.
travagantly. Mitchell of Oregon hasn't
any money, and Teller isn't rich,
though people think he is, Harrison
and Pugh are not rich either. Maxey
and Kenna are rich men, but make no
show of money. Frye and Spooner
are In easy circumstances, also Man
derson, Plat and Vance, but wouldn't
be. If they had extravagant wives. Nc.
Pherson has money, and Sawyer has
good deal, and is one of the very rich
men. / don't know how 1t is with
Jones of Nevada. He seems to have
varied fortunes. Brown of Georgia is
one of the richest men In the Senate.
ingalls, and Cullom and Butler haven't
much money. Dolph and Wilson Of
Iowa are pretty well Off. Evarts and
Camden are better off. You see after
all there are few millionaires In the
Senate.
~
One of the most interesting married
ladies in Washington, says the Phila
delphia Times. is the wife of United
States Senator James b. Beck of Ken.
lucky. Not only is she extremely
popular in social life, but is the nearest
living relative of President George
Washington. Mrs. Beck was Jane
Washington Thornton, granddaughter
of Colonel john Thornton of Virginia,
aide to General Washington, and his
first cousin. Her father was George
w. Thornton. Her grandmother, af-
ter whom she was named, was Wash.
ington's niece of full blood In his
will Washington bequeathed one.twen-
tieth Of his estate each to Jane Thorn.
ton and Bette Lewis. The legacy Of
Jane Thornton was In lands located ON
the Kanawha River. One half of this
estate fell to the inheritance of Mrs.
Beck. The property was carried by
Mr.. Beck until 1857 when, finding It
inconvenient to be lawyer in Ken
lucky and n manager of lands In Vir.
ginia, he parted with these historical
possessions. Mrs. Beck's mother,
who was left widow, mar
r'ed James Clark, Governor of Ken.
lucky. 1t was through this fact that
Mrs. Beck came to Kentucky, where
she was living with her sisters of the
half blood. Her mother had died, when
she met Mr.. Beck, and became his wife
in 1S4S. Mrs. Beck's eldest daughter,
Margaret Buckner Beck, who was the
wife of James w. Corcoran, planter
near Pine Bluff, Arkansas, nephew of
the Washington millionaire and philan.
thropist, died soon after her marriage.
Miss Bette Beck, named after Mrs.
Bette Lewis, one Of the beneiiciares
of General Washington's will, is the
accomplished wife of Major Green CLAY
Goodlte C, United States Marine Corps.
A son, George Thornton Beck, 81 years
old, Is ranchman and far ner in
Northern Wyoming.
~.
you may say what you please of
Van Wyck," said New York man to
Sun reporter the day news came of
ex-senator Paddock's election in Ne.
braska. II shall always like him for
just one thing. was private In the
New York Seventh and marched into
Washington in the spring of 1861.
didn't want to come II bit. | was to be
married in May, and 1t was pretty
tough TO call halt on my wedding
preparations. That night we Jumped
II the rickeiy old freight train that
brought us over from Annapolis aud
marched up into the Capitol TO take up
our quarters in the House of Repre-.
scntaives. | was q decidedly blue boy.
was Tired, mad, homosick and heart
sick. My muskct came down with
ring on the marble floor, and am
afraid was pretty ugly to my mess.
mates. While the boys made the night
ache with eNtempore speeches an de.
bate, where the statesmen of the land
had recently been historically eloquent,
stole off by myself and wrote home.
poured out my love and woe in
torrent of foolscap, which had been
lucky enough TO buy in Annapolis two
days before. 1t was too late that night
to mail II, and, besides. | had used up
my stamps. The next day Mr.. Van
Wyck, then in Congress from New
York, came up TO the Capitol, gave